My observation on clowns is that they delight in scaring the living daylights out of kids, and it's the parents that think it's funny, not the kids. The silly makeup makes it all that more of a gruesome sick joke, as it's a paradox, and paradoxes tend to stick in one's mind, especially when two opposite emotions are placed in counter-position. Should I laugh like "I'm supposed to" or scream? Must scream, can't scream. Must laugh, can't laugh. Very sticky stuff.

Most of my childhood was spent thinking, "What the heck is wrong with these stupid grown-ups?" so I just thought the clowns ought to get more productive jobs and make a practical contribution to society and stop, well, clowning around. I was a weird kid.